Lacebark elm tree named `UPMTF`

ABSTRACT

A lacebark elm tree named `UPMTF` having an upright pyramidal growth habit with a dense foliage canopy, a dominant leader with secondary branches ascending upwardly, early exfoliating bark, consistent rich yellow-orange fall color, and also capable of being reproduced reliably from vegetative cuttings.

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Ulmusparvifolia, Lacebark Elm, which has been given the varietal name`UPMTF`.

I discovered the original tree of my new variety as a chance seedlinggrowing in 1993 in a production field in a cultivated area at Moon TreeFarm in Loganville, Ga. This initial tree of my new variety originatedas a seedling, was grown for two years in a liner row, and was thentransplanted into the field. It is now nine years old. As I observed theoriginal tree of my new variety, the uniqueness of this tree becameapparent because of its dominant leader and upright growing form.

I observed this initial tree of my new variety for a period of time andbelieve it is particularly useful in landscape settings wherestructurally sound, upright tree forms are important, such as alongstreets, buildings, and in parking areas.

In contrast, cultivated lacebark elm trees are still somewhatrepresented by seedling material that is extremely variable in growthhabit, and several other varieties ranging form oval to vase-shaped tobroad-rounded. The single dominant leader trait of my new variety hasnot been observed by me in any lacebark elm seedling or cultivar.

Lacebark elm typically is a large tree that matures between forty tofifty feet high and wide, is adaptable to soil and climate, and has anative range from southern China in a broad arc over to Korea and intonorthern Japan. Its United States adaptability, based on observedsuccessful culture, ranges from Massachusetts to central Florida toIowa, south to Texas and west to Washington State and California. Thereis a need for adaptable and tolerant trees that can be grown over a widegeographic area. Consequently, a new variety of lacebark elm which has anarrow, pyramidal habit and displays clonal consistency is particularlyuseful.

My new variety has been asexually propagated in Georgia from softwoodcuttings at my direction.

This propagation and observation of the resulting progeny have proventhe characteristics of my new variety of lacebark elm to be firmlyfixed. Furthermore, these observations have confirmed that my newvariety represents a new and improved variety of lacebark elm asparticularly evidenced by the unique narrow, pyramidal growth habit andwhich can reliably be asexually propagated using vegetative propagationtechniques.

The accompanying photographs depict the color of the tree and foliage ofmy new variety as nearly true as is reasonably possible to make the samein a color illustration of this character.

FIG. 1 is a photograph of an entire tree of my new variety.

FIG. 2 is a photograph of an entire tree of my new variety showingwinter habit and branch structure.

FIG. 3 is a close up of a trunk of my new variety showing mature bark.

FIG. 4 is a close up of the upper surface of several leaves from a treeof my new variety.

FIG. 5 is a close up of the lower surface of a several leaves from atree of my new variety.

FIG. 6 is a close up of the upper surface of a number of leaves from atree of my new variety showing the fall color.

My `UPMTF` variety of lacebark elm has not been observed under allgrowing conditions and thus variations may occur as a result ofdifferent growing conditions. The following is a detailed description ofmy new variety of lacebark elm with color terminology in accordance withThe Royal Horticultural Society color chart (R.H.S.) published by TheRoyal Horticultural Society of London. The observations are of theoriginal tree of my new variety growing at the Moon Tree Farm site inLoganville, Ga.

My new variety of lacebark elm is characterized by its central dominantleader and pyramidal habit. In 1992, the initially discovered tree of mynew variety was four years old and was transplanted form a liner row toa production field at the Moon Tree Farm site in Loganville, Ga. It wasthen discovered in 1993. In December of 1995, the original tree waseighteen feet high and eight feet wide with four inches of caliper sixinches above the ground with a height to width ratio of 2.25. Thisupright pyramidal form with a dominant leader distinguishes my newvariety from typical Ulmus parvifolia trees. Most lacebark elms areround-headed, often with pendulous branches, with some forms beingupright-spreading.

My new tree maintains a dominant leader with strongly ascendingsecondary branches forming an upright pyramidal outline. In contrast,seedlings and other cultivars which I have observed do not have adominant leader. The unique growth habit insures its capacity for use inareas where growing space is restricted, particularly along streets withbuildings or sites which will not accommodate a broader canopy.

More specifically, my new tree has a branching habit and dendriticpattern of a dominant single lead (bole) with secondary branches thatemerge at sixty degree angles (base) and thirty degree angles (top) tothe main leader. Branches are uniformly and densely borne around thecentral leader with no large gaps from one branch insertion to the next.As a result, as can be seen from FIG. 2, the tree of my new variety isuniformly branched and symmetrical with a dense canopy. In contrast,traditional seedling lacebark elms and some of the cultivars are usuallyopen and in youth must be pruned often to produce an upright habit.

The lower trunk and larger branches exfoliate at three inch caliper orlarger. This is a desirable and unique characteristic of the variety,not typical of most seedling plants and found to varying degrees in thecultivars. The gray-orange and gray-brown coloration (R.H.S. 164B andR.H.S. 177B) is evident in FIG. 3.

The summer leaves are similar to those of the species, being dark greenabove, lighter below. In fall, the leaves turn yellow-orange. The upperleaf surface is lustrous dark green (R.H.S. 133A). The lower leafsurface is flat green (R.H.S. 135A). In fall, the leaves turnyellow-orange (R.H.S. 21A) and rival those of paper birch. The matureleaf averages three-fourths to two and one-half inches long, one-thirdto one and one-third inches wide, ten to twelve vein pairs, withone-fourth to one-half inch long petioles and is elliptical, as istypical of the species. Leaves are essentially glabrous at maturity.

Flowers and fruits have been observed only in the original tree and aretypical for the species. My new tree initiated flowers in its fifthgrowing season.

THE PLANT

Parentage: Chance lacebark elm seedling of unknown origin, growing in acultivated area of the Moon Tree Farm in Loganville, Ga.

Tree shape and growth: Upright-pyramidal. The growth rate ischaracterized as being very vigorous. Progeny of the original treegrowing in USDA Zone 7a in Loganville, Ga., on average grew 11/4 inchcaliper during the 1998 growing season. In computing this average,measurements were taken from 125 trees.

Trunk: Dominant leader, exfoliating with maturity.

Bark: Rich brown. Exfoliating on three inch caliper and larger trunk.

Mature bark color: (Observed in the original tree) Exfoliating on threeinch caliper and larger branches to reveal patches of gray-orange andgray-brown coloration (R.H.S. 164B and R.H.S. 177B). The texture of thebark prior to exfoliation is somewhat smooth. The color prior toexfoliation is a gray brown (R.H.S. 199A.

Branches: Ascending, emerging from the dominant leader at an angle ofsixty degrees (base) and thirty degrees (top).

Leaves: Leaf shape is elliptical and typical of the species.

Leaf surface: Upper leaf surface is lustrous dark green (R.H.S. 133A)and glabrous. The lower surface is flat green (R.H.S. 135A) andglabrous.

Leaf size: Leaves average three-fourths to two and one-half inches long,one third to one and one-third inches wide, ten to twelve vein pairs,with one-fourth to one-half inch long petioles.

Buds, flowers, and fruit: Observed in the original tree to be like thoseof the species. Flowers are inconspicuous and typically occur early inSeptember in Georgia where the original tree is growing. The fruit is anelliptic-ovate samara, one-third of an inch long and glabrous.

Disease resistance: The original tree seems to be fairly diseaseresistant and has not shown any signs of significant heat scorch ordieback. While the tree has not been inoculation tested for resistanceto Dutch Elm Disease, the species is not known to be affected.

Winter hardiness: The original tree withstood 4 degrees F. withoutinjury and laboratory tests have showed it to be hardy to -16 degrees F.It is expected to be hardy to USDA Zone 6, but has not been testedoutdoors yet in those areas.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of lacebark elm treesubstantially as herein shown and described, characterized particularlyas to novelty by its unique upright pyramidal growth habit, thirty tosixty degree ascending branch angles, early developing and spectacular